Harmonia Academy

Chapter 4. The Sorting Ceremony

Nights at Harmonia Academy were rarely peaceful for Leonard. Secrets about his lineage, the surreal landscapes of the magical realm, and the looming Sorting Ceremony intertwined like a tangled knot in his mind. He drifted between dreams of his silver-haired mother smiling tenderly and visions of himself shrouded in an eerie light, disoriented and adrift.

When he awoke the next morning, sunlight spilled through his curtains. He rose, washed, and donned the academy’s plain black robe—unmarked by any faction’s colors, a reminder of his unclaimed status.

Breakfast was served in the academy’s grand hall. The long tables groaned under heaps of food, their aromas thick in the air. Leonard noticed students clustered in distinct groups, their robes colored blue, red, green, white, or yellow, with little mingling between factions.

Gareth sat alone in a corner, his threadbare green robe faded. Leonard joined him.

“Morning, Leonard,” Gareth’s voice was hoarse with fatigue.

“Morning. You look worn out. Rough night?”

A bitter chuckle. “Old habits. Sleep’s never been my friend.” He paused, studying Leonard. “You? Nervous about today?”

Leonard shrugged. “Honestly? Both. I don’t know where I’ll end up.”

“Don’t fret,” Gareth said. “The ceremony’s harmless. Those Elemental Orbs sense your true nature. Just… let go.”

“Elemental Orbs?”

“Aye. At the hall’s end, five ancient crystals sit atop a dais—Aqua, Ignis, Terra, Ventus, and Astrum. When a newbie approaches, the Orb aligned with their essence blazes brightest and guides them.”

Leonard nodded, recalling last night’s journal flip-through. No element had called to him. His parents—an elf and a werewolf—would that sway the Orbs?

After breakfast, the newcomers were herded into the Great Hall. Taller than the dining chamber, its ceiling glittered with enchanted lights, walls lined with portraits of past leaders. At the far end loomed a raised dais, its stone surface holding five Orbs, each glowing softly.

The leftmost pulsed deep blue, like the ocean’s heart. Beside it, a crimson flame seemed alive. The central Orb radiated earthy green, while the rightmost two shimmered—one a windswept white, the other a starry gold.

“The Elemental Orbs,” Gareth murmured, reverence in his tone.

One by one, students stepped forward. As they neared, an Orb would surge, humming, drawing them to their faction. Cheers erupted with each assignment.

Leonard watched. A shy girl triggered the green Orb; she was ushered to Terra’s ranks, met with warm applause. A burly boy ignited the red; he charged Ignis’s circle, engulfed by fiery cheers.

When it was the turn of students with mixed-blood lineages, the Elemental Orbs seemed to flicker more frequently, taking longer to choose, which made Leonard even more nervous. He noticed that while some mixed-blood students were eventually sorted into different factions, others, like Gareth, simply stood by and watched.

“Do mixed-blood races also participate in the Sorting Ceremony?” Leonard couldn’t help but ask.

“Of course, theoretically,” Gareth replied. “But for some mixed-bloods, especially those like me with non-pureblood parents on both sides, the Elemental Orbs might struggle to sense our pure elemental attributes. Sometimes, we’re directly assigned to special classes.”

Leonard’s heart grew even more restless. His parents were different races, but both were pureblood—so what would happen to him? Would the Elemental Orbs smoothly sense his attributes?

Time dragged on as more freshmen were sorted into factions. The atmosphere in the hall shifted between tension and joy. Leonard watched student after student step forward, guided by the Orbs to their factions, his heart a mix of anticipation and unease.

Finally, the name Leonard Eldridge was called. He took a deep breath, tried to calm himself, and walked to the dais with heavy steps.

He felt all eyes on him. Nervously, he glanced at the five Orbs on the stone pedestal, each glowing with unique light, as if awaiting his arrival.

He approached slowly. As he neared the Orbs, he sensed faint energy fluctuations from them. He held his breath, waiting for one to react.

Blue, red, green, white, gold... all five Orbs flickered slightly, sensing his presence.

Suddenly, the golden Orb began to emit a stronger glow, its brilliance like the rising sun, instantly capturing everyone’s attention. Murmurs rippled through the hall, and students in yellow robes wore expectant looks. Leonard’s heart raced—was he really being sorted into Astrum? Perhaps it was linked to his mother’s elven blood.

Yet, just as everyone thought the result was clear, the golden light began to fade, replaced by a lighter, purer energy surging from the white Orb beside it. That white glow, like winter’s first snow, pristine and dazzling, instantly outshone all others!

The hall fell silent. Everyone stared in shock at the brilliantly shining Ventus Orb. What was happening? The golden light had clearly dominated before!

Leonard himself was utterly surprised; he hadn’t felt any particular affinity with the wind element. Puzzled, he looked at the white Orb, which hummed as if beckoning him.

On the dais, Professor Themis, presiding over the ceremony, furrowed her brow slightly before regaining her composure. She picked up her list and announced in a resonant voice:

“Leonard Eldridge—Ventus!”

After a moment of silence, scattered applause erupted from the students in white robes. Their numbers seemed the smallest among the five factions, and they watched Leonard with curious, astonished expressions.

Leonard stood frozen. He’d never imagined being sorted into Ventus. He’d assumed his mother’s heritage would lead him to Astrum, or at least Aqua. Wind… it was completely unexpected.

Even Gareth, in the corner, wore a startled look, clearly unprepared for this outcome.

Leonard felt a mix of curious, confused, and disbelieving gazes. He took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and walked toward the white-robed students. His sorting result was far more surprising than he’d imagined.

Somewhat dazed, Leonard approached the white-robed group. They huddled on one side of the hall, indeed few—only about a dozen. They were lean, light-footed, their eyes carrying a drifting, nimble quality, as if they truly shared a special bond with the wind.

As Leonard neared, the white-robed students examined him curiously. Their gazes weren’t overtly hostile, nor overly warm; they were more inquisitive, appraising.

A silver-haired juvenile with a short, silvery bob and delicate features nodded slightly—a greeting.

Leonard returned the smile politely, his mind swirling with confusion. Ventus… it felt mismatched with his self-perception. He’d always seen himself aligned with Astrum or Aqua, never wind.

The Sorting Ceremony continued, but Leonard’s thoughts had left the hall. He followed the white-robed students out of the Grand Hall, through empty corridors, to a door adorned with white feathers and fluttering silk.

The silver-haired leader pushed open the door. A breath of fresh air greeted them, carrying faint floral scents and the crispness of rain-soaked earth. Leonard entered the room, finding it a spacious, bright common lounge. The walls were painted light blue, the windows large and sunlit, overlooking the academy courtyard where trees swayed in the breeze. The furniture was airy and comfortable—Suspension chair and translucent tables.

"Welcome to Ventus," the silver-haired juvenile said to Leonard, his voice soft and soothing, like a breeze brushing willow tips. "I'm Cecil Osborne, the Ventus prefect."

"Hello, Cecil," Leonard replied, a bit stiffly.

Cecil gestured to the other students around him. "These are all members of our Ventus. Everyone, this is our new arrival, Leonard Eldridge."

The other white-robed students nodded at Leonard one after another, their faces breaking into friendly smiles.

"Leonard, take a rest here first," Cecil said. "A mentor will come to arrange your dormitory later."

Leonard nodded and sat down in a hanging chair by the window. He looked out at the wind-blown leaves and still found it hard to believe. Was he really in Ventus?

Not long after, the Sorting Ceremony ended. Leonard saw Vivian walk in wearing a blue robe, a hint of worry on her face.

"Leonard, are you alright? I saw you were sorted into Ventus. What a surprise," Vivian walked over and sat down beside him, her voice full of concern.

"Yeah, I didn't expect it either," Leonard said with a wry smile. "I thought I'd go to Astrum."

"But Ventus is great too," Vivian comforted him. "The wind element represents freedom and change. It's a powerful force. And the students in Ventus are all smart and agile."

Just then, Gareth walked in wearing his old green robe, a complicated look on his face.

"Leonard, congratulations on being sorted into Ventus," Gareth said, sounding a bit reluctant.

"Thank you, Gareth," Leonard looked at him and asked, "What about you? Which faction were you sorted into?"

Gareth shook his head, a flash of gloom in his eyes. "I didn't attend the Sorting Ceremony. For half-bloods like me, the academy usually assigns us to special classes directly."

Leonard felt a pang of sadness. He hadn't expected Gareth to be treated this way.

"Don't lose heart, Gareth," Vivian comforted him. "Even if we're not in the same faction, we're still friends."

Gareth gave Vivian a grateful smile.

As they were talking, a middle-aged witch in a white robe walked in. She had flowing white hair and sharp yet kind eyes.

"Welcome, new Ventus students," the witch said to them, her voice as pleasant as a breeze. "I'm your mentor, Professor Emily Cartwright. From today on, you'll learn the mysteries of the wind element here and strive for the glory of Ventus."

Professor Cartwright then began to arrange the dormitories for the new students. Leonard was assigned a room by the window. His roommate was a lively white-robed juvenile named Finn MacLeod. Finn gave Leonard a warm welcome and enthusiastically introduced him to various aspects of Ventus.

As Leonard listened to Finn's introduction, he looked out at the wind-blown clouds and gradually calmed down. Although being sorted into Ventus was unexpected, he decided to accept it and try to fit into this new group. Perhaps the power of the wind element also held potential he hadn't discovered yet.

Leonard's new roommate, Finn MacLeod, was an energetic and extroverted juvenile. He had fluffy brown hair and always wore a sunny smile. He talked endlessly about the fun things and traditions of Ventus, such as how the students often gathered on the tallest tower of the academy in the evening to feel the power of the wind and practice special meditation; they were also known for their agility and quick thinking, often achieving surprise victories in magic competitions.

Finn also told Leonard that the founder of Ventus was an elder named Aeris, who was said to be able to control the most violent storms and was a very powerful and mysterious wizard. The students of Ventus all took Aeris as their role model, pursuing freedom, change, and unfettered power.

Leonard listened carefully. Although his understanding of the wind element was still limited, he began to feel a hint of curiosity about this faction. He found that the wind element also seemed to resonate with his inner desire for freedom and exploration.

After settling into the dormitory, Leonard and Finn returned to the common lounge. Vivian and Gareth were still waiting for him there.

"How are you getting along with your roommate?" Vivian asked concernedly.

"Not bad, Finn is very enthusiastic," Leonard replied with a smile.

"The people in Ventus are all friendly. You'll get used to it soon," Vivian said.

Gareth looked at Leonard, a hint of worry in his eyes. "Leonard, although I'm happy for you to be sorted into any faction, I'm still a bit worried. Many students in Ventus are pure-bloods. They might... they might be like Cassius..."

Leonard understood what Gareth meant. He shook his head and said, "It's alright, Gareth. I'll be careful. And Vivian helped me today. I believe there are still many kind people." He looked at Vivian gratefully.

Vivian gave him a warm smile.

In the following days, Leonard began his academy life. He attended various magic classes, learning basic spells, potions, and magic theory. The courses in Ventus indeed focused on speed, agility, and change, which was a new challenge for Leonard, who had always been used to thinking calmly. But he tried hard to adapt, asking Finn and other classmates for advice, and gradually mastered some wind element skills.

In his spare time, Leonard often stayed with Vivian and Gareth. Vivian was sorted into Aqua. She was gentle and intelligent, often helping Leonard with his studies. Although Gareth wasn't sorted into any faction, he knew more about the academy than Leonard and Vivian. He would take Leonard to explore every corner of the academy, telling him some unknown secrets and legends.

Leonard also gradually learned about the faction relations in Harmonia Academy. Although students from different factions maintained politeness on the surface, there were some competitions and estrangements in private. Pure-blood students were often prouder and stuck together, while half-bloods like Gareth were often excluded and discriminated against.

Nevertheless, Leonard didn't experience obvious discrimination in Ventus. Cecil and other classmates were friendly to him, and Professor Cartwright also gave him patient guidance. He began to slowly like the free and energetic atmosphere of Ventus.

Every night, Leonard would take out the diaries his parents left behind and read them carefully. He still couldn't decipher those mysterious runes, but he would look at those photos again and again, feeling the warmth his parents left. He was determined to study magic hard and become stronger, so that he could unlock the secrets in the diaries and find everything about his parents.

At the end of the first week of academy life, Leonard stood by the window of the Ventus common lounge, looking out at the wind-blown white flag. The flag was embroidered with a flying wing pattern, the symbol of Ventus. He took a deep breath, feeling the freely flowing wind element in the air, and a sense of belonging gradually arose in his heart. Although his sorting result was unexpected, he believed that Ventus might just be the guidance of his destiny.